Sony's PlayStation 5 Now Accounts for Half of Its Active Consoles

Sony Interactive Entertainment has released an update on its console business, indicating that half of its user base is now using the PS5, while the other half remains on the PS4. During a company briefing, the platform holder revealed that the PS5 is on the verge of surpassing the PS4's revenue and has already achieved higher operating income of $10 billion, making it the most profitable console generation for the company. Notably, the average revenue per console is $731 for the PS5, compared to $580 for the PS4, largely due to increased prices for games, accessories, and services. Spending on accessories has seen a 34% increase on the PS5 compared to the PS4, while spending on services like PlayStation Plus has risen by 57%, and add-on content has increased by 176%. However, game sales have decreased by 12% compared to the previous generation, reflecting a shift towards live service games and longer engagement with fewer titles. The company has also reported success in upgrading its PlayStation Plus user base, with a shift towards higher tiers. In terms of its game release strategy, Sony is committed to continuing the development of AAA single-player narrative games, as well as more experimental projects, alongside its new focus on live-service games. The company plans to launch live-service games simultaneously on PC and console, while AAA single-player titles will initially release on console and later on PC, with the goal of attracting players to the PlayStation 5 for faster access to subsequent games.